Hydraulic press



March 8, 1932. J, DE FRANCIS@ Lfgg@ HYDRAULIC PRES S Filed March 8, 19262 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY March 8, 1932. J. DE FRANclscl HYDRAULI C PRESS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 8, 1926 INVENTOR, Jbse/ eanezsea,

`ATTORNEY Patented aim?. s, i932Y earner orifice JOSEPH. DE IEBANCISCI,OF BROOKLYN, NEW YGERK HYDRAULC PRESS .Application filed March 8, 1926,Serial No. 93,199.

My invention is a hydraulic press, the same being adapted, among otheruses, for the production of macaroni and analogous products; butit willbe understood that the invention, or parts thereof, may be employed forthe production of other products'.

n'presses for the production of macaroni and the like, it is usual toemploy a double charge-containing mechanism, one cylinder of whichco-operates with a power-driven plunger for expressing the material,whereas another cylinder of said mechanism is undergoing a loading orcharging operation, after Y which the plunger is withdrawn and thecharge-containing mechanism is reversed, such reversal bringing theloaded cylinder into cooperative relation to the plunger or ram, and thepreviously 'loaded and now empty cylinder is positioned for receiving afresh batch or charge of `material. The plunger or ram is hydraulicallyoperated, one example being disclosed in my prior Patent No. 1,502,021,patented July 22, 1924, wherein I have disclosed a single valvemechanism operable manually forcontrolling the flow of fluid to and fromthe hydraulic cylinder in such manner that the ram or plunger is at therequired periods actuated by the -Y fluid under pressure for raising andlowering said plunger.

According to the presentinvention, provision is made for raising theconnected material ,cylinders by the action of the hydraulic mechanism,whereby the cylinders are lifted clear of the expressing die, and suchcylinders may then be reversed or shifted without hindrance from suchdie. The connected material cylinders are retained in an abnormal raisedposition for a desired period of time by controlling the iiow of themotive fiuid to the hydraulic mechanism, but following the i reversal ofsaid cylinders, the motive fluid is permitted by adjustment of the valveto flow au out of the hydraulic mechanism in amanner to lower thecharging 'cylinders for one of them to assume the required relation tothe expressing die. Such descent of the connected vcylinders may beeffected by gravity alone, or it may be accelerated by appropriatespring devices, the tension of which is regnlatable as and'whenrequired,

@ther functions and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing description taken in connection with the drawings, whereinlFigure 1 is an elevation of my hydraulic press, with the materialcylinders in an elevated relation to the expressing die. Y n

Figure 2 is an enlarged view partly in side 60 elevation and partly invertical section illustrating an embodiment of means by which the upwardtravel of the ram is made available for raising the connected materialcylinders. l

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken'lQngitudinally through the hydraulicvalve'for manually controlling the flow of the motive iiuid for theactuation of the hydraulic mechanism, 70 Figures #i and 5 are crosssectional views of the hydraulic valve on the plane of the dotted linel-fi of Figure 3,l showing the valve plug in two positions, andillustrating the check valve ima by-pass, whereby the fluid is checkedtopreclude the premature lowering of the charge cylinders after thelatter shall have been raised clear of the expressing die. Figures 6 and7 are views in ylongitudinal section of the valve showing `the valvelplug in two positions, one as in Figure 6 for the return of the fluidfrom the pressure cylinder to the pump through the valve plug, and theother position of said valve plug showing the said plug in position forfeeding fluid to the pressure cylinder for raising the ram or plunger. i

Figure 8 is a detail section on the line 8.-,-8 of Figure 3 illustratingthe bonnet valve and its valve actuator. 90 Figure 9 is a detail planview ofthe rotary plugof the control valve, l

As in the prior patent to which reference has been made, A, A, are thevertical fixed columns or posts, B is the fluid pressure cylinder, C theram or plunger operable there,- i`n, and F, F', are the connectedcylinders for containing the charges or batches ,oit material adapted tobe forced by the actionfof the plunger out of said cylinders and throughan free to rotate and slide on said column. Fach cylinder F or F' isprovided with stop arms g extending outwardly and operating to contactwith the other column A for arresting the `swinging or rotative movementofthe cylinders. Obviously, the connected cylindersV turn on the columnacting as an axis of rotation therefor, said axis being eccentric tothe'aXis of the expressing die D, whereby either cylinder is adaptedtojaline or register with said die prior to the descent of the Vlungeror ram fordislodging the material rom said cylinder and' forcing thesame through die D. y p' As shown, the ram or plunger C is provided, atits lower end which is exposed below the 'fluid pressure cylinder B,with a collar or vflange c. y`With this exposed flange cooperates aplurality of lifting elements E, E', which'are connected operativelywith the material cylinders F, F', for the purpose of raising thecylinders F, F', by the power of the hydraulic ram or plunger.Obviously, the cylinders and the load carried thereon constitutes aheavy weight. It isdesirable to yraise this weight relatively to the dieand to the columns prior to the operation of rotating the cylinders toposition one or the other in register with the die, such elevation ofthe cylinders being for the purposeof swingingthem without hindrancefrom the die. Each lifting element comprises a sleeve c and an arm c',the same being usually made in one piece. The sleeve of member E passesloosely through the coupling g at the top of the cylinders F, F', sothat the cylinder coupling g turns freely on the sleeve e of the memberE.

n The sleeves e of the two members are fitted on the respective columnsA, A, and eachV is held in a non-rotating relation to the rolumn by ascrew or spline f whichl is attached to the sleeve and is littedv in agroove j provided in the column, thus adapting the sleeves c ofthe ytwolifting membersfor sliding or up and down'travel-on the columns. rI 1earmsg' -on the material cylindersare :ulaijited for contact, the lowerone with Ythe column A, and the upper one with a grooved part, e2, ofthe sleeve E', see Figures 1 and 2. As shown-iny Figure 2, the sleeve cof'lifting member Eis also provided with a groove c2, for receiving theupper coupling g of the cylinders F, F', and thus the upward travel ofthe members E, E', is communicated to the cylinders F, F', for raisingthe latter for a short distance relatively to the die D. The arms c ofthe lifting members E, E', extend inwardly from the sleeves c, e, and

these arms, e', e', are in contact with the upper face of the flange con plunger C. The arrangement is such that asthe plunger or ram isapproaching the upward limit of its travel, and just prior to reachingsuch upward limit, the flange c comes into engagement with the arms c',and Vas the ram continues its upward movement, the arms e', and thesleeves c, will be raised and slide along the columns A, the effect ofwhich is to elevate the material cylinders F, F', with respect to die D,and thus permit said cylinders to be rotated around one of the columnsuntil arrested by the arms g' coming into contact with the other columnand the grooved part e2 of the sleeve E'.

The members E, E', coact with the ram for holding the cylinders F, F',in raised relation to the die, but as the ram or plunger begins itsdownstroke, the cylinders F, F', are low* ered,usually by gravity,although such downward movement of the cylinders may be effected bysuitable Vmeans, such as coiled' spring I-I, Figures land 2. Thesesprings loosely encircle the columns and rest upon the sleeves c ofmembers E, E. Provision is made for regulating the tension of thesprings, for which slidably fitted on the columns. These plates rest onthe springs, and are adjusted as` required by set screws 7L' contactingwith the under side of the lower part?) of cylinder B.

Motion is imparted to the ram or plunger by fluid pressure, to which endpipes N, O, are connected to the Lipper and lower parts of the pressurecylinder B, substantially las dis- Y closed in my prior patent. The flowof fluid to, and the return of fluid from, the pressure cylinder iscontrollable by a single valve to which pipes N, O, are connected, andthis valve is supplied with liquid under pressure from a pump oraccumulator through pipe L, and it functions, also, as the means throughwhich the fluid from the pressure cylinder flows back to the pump oraccumulator by way of pipe M. The single valve is similar in allessential particularsto the valve of my prior patent, and, speakinggenerally, said valve embodies a shell H, a turntable plug I, a bonnetvalve'P for the control of a by-pass p through which the pressure of themotive fluid is relieved on the turnable plug I, a bushing Qco-operablewith the bonnet valve and having a plate QF provided with a lever arm Rwhich is associated with the trip rod k1", and a valve actuator Urotatable with the valve plug I, and operablel by appropriate studs w,w', on the plate Q2, all as shown in Figures 1 and 3 to 9, inclusive,and

purpose plates, la, are

described more particularly in my aforesaid patent. y

The valve is modified with a view to simplifying its construction andwith the view,

. also, to the association therewith of a check valve hereinafterdescribed, whereby the pressure of the fluid is retained within thelower part of the cylinder B for an appreciable length of time in orderto hold the plunger C raised for that period of time at which thematerial cylinders F, F, are elevated with reference to the die D. Asshown in Figures 3, 6, 7 and 9, the valve plug comprises a stem a' and afrusto-conical head t', at one end this stem is of square formation andprovided with a thread, whereas the other headed end i is formed with asingle uid channel j, said valve l being provided with a fluid passage7c the ends of which constitute ports 7c', k2. he valve plug is seatedin shell H to produce a fluid chamber K, as heretofore, with whichcommunicates the fluid channel y', and the shell H is furthermoreprovided with the return chamber k3 (Figures 3 and 8) with which chamberh3 communicates the return pipe M, and into which chamber h3 opens theport la of the fluid passage 7c of the valve plug, so that the fluidflowing back from the cylinder B may pass through the fluid passage 7cto chamber h3, and thence by pipe M back to the pump.

in Figures -l and 7, the plug l is positioned for feeding fluid underpressure to pipe O and thence to the lower part of cylinder B forraising the ram or plunger, and inthe same position of the valve plug Ithe fluid returns from the upper part of cylinder B through pipe N andvalve passage 7c to pipe M back to pump. Obviously, the fluid underpressure is supplied by pipe L to chamber K, thence by channel j to pipe0, and thence to lower part of the cylinder B. At this time, the fluidflowing through valve plug channel y' acts to lift and unseat a checkvalve S, which is within a by-pass s provided in shell H between pipesN, O, see Figures a and 5. This by-pass s is of angular form, one endopening into pipe O, and the other end opening into the bore providedwithin the shell H for plug l. rlhis by-pass forms a ledge, t,constituting a seat for the check valve, S, the play of which within theby-pass is limited by a plug t attached to the valve shell. As stated,the pressure of fluid supplied through channel j and by-pass s to thepipe O and thence to the lower port of the cylinder B raises the plungerC and members E, E for lifting the material cylinders F, F, relativelyto the die D, and the parts remain in such positions until the plungeris ready to begin its reverse motionor to move downwardly, back pressureof the vfluid moving through pipe O tending to act on the check valve Sfor holding the latter upon the seat, t, in the by-pass. With the valvereversed, as

in Figures 5 and 6, the flow of fluid under pressure to pipe O is cutoid and the return flow through pipe N is likewise cut off, but, on thecontrary, the fluid under pressure from pipe L liowsthrough chamber K,through channel jV of plug l to pipe N, thence through pipe N t0 theupper part of cylinder B, whereas the return flow from the lower part ofcylinder B takes place through pipe O, fluid passage L of plug I, tochamber h3, and thence through pipe M to the pump, such back flowthrough pipe O holding check valve S on its seatz in the by-pass.

rlhe operation may be summarized briefly as follows: With the materialcylinders F, F, positioned for one (F) to be in alinement verticallywith the die D, the other cylinder (F) is in position to receive acharge or batch of material, whereupon the ram is lowered for forcingthe material out of one cylinder and through the die, as usual. The ramis now raised, and as it approaches the upward limit of its travel, theflange c engages with arms e and thus lifts the members E, E', to raisethe cylinders F, F and the load in one of them, the raised positions ofthe parts being shown in Figure l. lVith the cylinders F, F, thus liftedby the hydraulic mechanism, the operator pr-oceeds to turn or swing thecylinders around the sleeve c of member E until the arms g engage theother sleeve c of member E', and the column, respectively, thusarresting the swinging motion, the sleeves e and members E, E', being atrest. rlhe valve is reversed to feed fluid under pressure from the pumpthrough the valve and the pipe N into the upper part of the cylinder B,the liquid in the lower cylinder part being free to flow through pipe O,the valve and by way of pipe M bacK to the pump. As the plunger beginsits down stroke, the members E, E', and the cylinders F, F, are loweredfor the loaded cylinder to become seated relatively to the die, and thefurther travel of the plunger C forces the material from one cylinderand through the die, the other cylinder being loaded with a fresh batchof material. Upon the completion of the down stroke by the ram orplunger, th-e valve is turned to divert the flow of fluid, whereupon thefluid under pressure from the pump flows from pipe L, the valve, andpipe O into the lower part of cylinder B, whereas the fluid from theupper part of said cylinder B flows back to the pump by Y way of pipe N,the valve, and pipe M. As the plunger approaches the limit of its upwardtravel, the flange c engages the arms c and again lifts the members E,E, and the connected cylinders F, F', in which positions the partsremain and are retained by the check valve S during the period requiredfor reversing the cylinders F, F, in order to present a filled cylinderinto register with the die.

Having thus fully described the invention,

What I claim: as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is: Y

l. In combination in a press, a plurality of columns7 a plurality ofcylinders, collars slidably mounted on said columns adapted to receivesaid cylinders, a movable plunger provided with a projection adapted toengage saidl collars to raise thecylinders when the plunger is near theend of its stroke.Y

2. In a device of the character described, a movable plunger, a column,a cylinder, means for rotatably and slidably mounting said cylinder onsaid column including a collar slidably mounted ,on said column, saidcollar being provided With a flange adapted to be engaged by the end ofthe plunger on its up- Ward stroke to raise the cylinder intoinoperativerposition. y Y 3. In combination in a press, a plurality ofcolumns, a plurality of connected cylinders, collars slidably mounted onsaid columns and adapted to receive said cylinders, a movable plungerprovided With a projection near one end, one of said collars beingprovided With a flange adapted torbe engaged by the projection on thelplunger toraise the cylinder into inoperative position.

In testimony whereof I have hereto signed my name this 5th day of March,1926.

. JOSEPH DE FRANCISCI.

